Reflections on the world from the banks of the Marne

The GOP: “full of lunatics”

Mike Lofgren, an ex-Republican Congressional staffer of almost thirty years, has a devastating broadside against his former party, which he recently left in manifest disgust and horror. Some choice passages from the beginning

Both [the Democratic and Republican] parties are rotten – how could they not be, given the complete infestation of the political system by corporate money on a scale that now requires a presidential candidate to raise upwards of a billion dollars to be competitive in the general election? Both parties are captives to corporate loot… But both parties are not rotten in quite the same way. The Democrats have their share of machine politicians, careerists, corporate bagmen, egomaniacs and kooks. Nothing, however, quite matches the modern GOP. To those millions of Americans who have finally begun paying attention to politics and watched with exasperation the tragicomedy of the debt ceiling extension, it may have come as a shock that the Republican Party is so full of lunatics…

Lofgren is not tender with the Democrats—and rightly so—and states that he is not a supporter of Obama, but makes clear that the contemporary GOP is indeed what Paul Krugman has called “the Party of Crazy.” His piece is long (6000+ words) but absolutely worth reading to the end (here it is again).

CORRECTION: I got the Krugman quote above slightly wrong. He did not precisely call the Republicans “the Party of Crazy” but rather, in reference to the GOP, wrote about “waking up and smelling the crazy.” La même chose, en effet.

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16 Responses

I’m ashamed to come from the state that produced Michele Bachmann. Not only is she a fundamentalist that can be grouped with the ‘American Taliban’ (a term I dislike, but can understand in this case), but her husband is a lying bigot who took government funds to promote pseudo-medical practices:

With Minnesota’s progressive tradition, I would be proud to be from there (I’m from next door Wisconsin, which spawned Joe McCarthy but also a Socialist mayor in Milwaukee during the same period). Wouldn’t want to speak with that accent though :-)

You’re so right. Both parties are infected by Corporate Crony Capitalism. America is sick of it. We have reached a tipping point, a Howard Beale moment.
A waste of time going after Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry.
I would advise you all to click on the video link @ RCP & watch Sarah Palin’s entire 46 minute speech in Indianola, Iowa, yesterday.

Big picture: if Sister Sarah’s Tent Revival is any indication, she will blow all other GOP candidates out of the water when she gets in. If she is truly “not for sale” no amount of money, not Mitt, Perry or even Obama’s one billion dollar campaign war chest can defeat her. Sarah is taking it straight to the people; that’s where elections are won.
Sarah IS America at this point in time. She has her finger on the pulse of America, the dangers ahead, and how to change course before it’s too late. She has grace, wit, charisma, and incredible political talent.
It’s going to be a long tough ride to the finish, but our lives and liberty are at stake.
Godspeed Sarah!

Watch Sarah Palin for 46 minutes? You have quite a sense of humor, CCinna! As for the notion that SP “IS America,” it looks like America doesn’t see it that way http://www.pollingreport.com/p.htm#Palin

“Polls are for strippers and cross country skiers”… but if course, you would have known that had you actually watched Sarah Palin’s speech instead of being so snarky and consumed by PDS.
Yesterday, the woman ran a half Marathon in 1:45 and came in second.
Sarah is a formidable force. Acknowledge it and debate her on the issues, or get out of the way.
Sarah is the real deal, and the smartest, most capable instinctive retail politician since Ronald Reagan.
If she does decide to run, she will have a great deal of support.

Arun, you have a good sense of humor but you have a tin ear to the ground listening to the pulse of America in “flyover country”. What I sense is fear, panic, and disarray over Sarah Palin, not a realistic assessment of her abilities and appeal or the depth of dissatisfaction with the current administration and policies. Tina Fey’s while hilarious, makes the same critical mistake you do.
It is naive to underestimate the intelligence and intellectual capacity of conservatives like Sarah. You don’t share her ideology or values, fine… but don’t be deluded into thinking she’s not intelligent & accomplished.
They have said the same about every real conservative every time the left & the entrenched elite establishment were threatened.

Don’t doubt me, read for yourself:
Sarah’s answer to Hoffa’s “take out the SOBs” Labor Day speech:
Welcome, Union Brothers and Sisters
Sarah Palin Tuesday, September 6, 2011
What I say now, I say as a proud former union member and the wife, daughter, and sister of union members. So, as a former card-carrying IBEW sister married to a proud former Laborer, IBEW, and later USW member, please hear me out. What I have to say is for the hard working, patriotic, selfless union brothers and sisters in Michigan and throughout our country: Please don’t be taken in by union bosses’ thuggery like Jim Hoffa represented yesterday. Union bosses like this do not have your best interests at heart.

I’m intrigued by what Ccinna said as to Sarah Palin’s lock on the pulse of many Americans. I think he’s right. She doesn’t have the answers or even a grasp on the problems but I think she is representative of a certain side of the American psyche in this point in time – the side that is flailing in confusion and half-crazed with fear.

Sarah Palin doesn’t have all
the answers, no one does. I do think she understands the problems facing this country, what caused them, and how to begin getting out from under them. One may not agree with her world view or ideology but to insinuate she is dumb, uninformed, or crazy, begs the question.
The people who already support Governor Palin, or would support her if she decides to run, are not “flailing in confusion and half-crazed with fear”.
They are just regular Americans, from all over America, from all walks of life, all racial, ethnic, economic groups. Many, like my husband and me, are highly educated professionals, with degrees from top schools. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, professors, teachers, nurses, small business owners. People who work hard, and don’t believe in the Euro-style social social welfare state that has proved to be a failure and economically unsustainable everywhere.
We haven’t yet decide which candidate to work for and support financially, but we will when the time comes.

Ccinna
You are correct that Sarah is quite in tune with how large swathes of Americans feel – I would add in a way Oprah Winfrey is. Palin, who is both emblematic and a showcase of Fox News Republicanism, is not into appealing to the intellect and arguing solutions touching upon issues. She seems to have once been such a politician with an interesting start in Alaska, when she took it to the corrupt elements in the GOP establishment over in Juneau. But that’s not the Sarah Palin we’ve been getting ever since she was the VP candidate. She doesn’t have the mettle, the virtue, and the strength of character to be a valid choice for elected office.
I don’t question your ability to make intelligent choices, but I hope you understand that with the case of Sarah Palin, you’re giving yourself a paltry hand to deal with. Hopefully, the desire to be contrarian for the sake of being a contrarian is not getting the better part of your judgment. Obtaining a diploma, from even the most highly regarded of institutions, is no insurance against error and misjudgment. The unsustainable social welfare state and the current financial meltdown were prepared by the most intelligent of persons be they from X, l’ENA, Chicago, Harvard, you name it. Sometimes theoretical baggage can get the better of simple, common sense judgment.
Sarah Palin echoes this point recently when she takes a swipe against the experts in business & government. However, there’s nurturing healthy scepticism towards credential-based education and then there’s anti-intellectual obscurantism. I think she exemplifies the latter.
I will hand her this – she’s breaking out of the current paradigm of campaigning and politicking, and she appears to have a sharp intuition in this regard. Hers is not logical-deductivist reasoning à la Bain Capital or Yale Law – she just follows her gut instinct and believes in that. And so far it seems to work for her. But she’s not cut out to be president – and this opinion I hold is not based on an irrational hatred of her, anti-Americanism or in an adherence to Leftist, Euroweenie, commie claptrap. I have lots of diplomas, too, you know! :-)

Sarah Palin couldn’t even name a _local_ newspaper that she read, let alone any other. Her lack of knowledge is boundless. I think McCain selected her as his running mate for the same reason that Bush Sr. tapped Dan Quayle as his. Their propensity for forever sticking their hoofs in their mouths and their nearly total lack of any useful knowledge made the Repubs’ pres. candidates actually look like geniuses when compared to their idiot running mates. Although Tina Fey’s representation of Ms. Palin is broad parody, it’s right on target. Palin is so bad, she’d almost make GW Bush look smart–now _that’s_ plain scary!

@Jim
Thank you for your thoughtful response.
I’m sure you, too, have many diplomas, and you sound like an intellectually honest and thoughtful guy.
I think we may have different political philosophies and worldviews, but I welcome an honest, civil discussion.
I look at Sarah Palin and I see one of the few political figures who actually gets it. I’ve read all her FB Notes, and speeches, and am impressed by her clarity, consistency, & her ability to focus on the big picture.
By condemning both parties for “corporate crony capitalism” she is has hit a nerve, and is almost able to run in the middle, somewhat like 3rd party, but never actually doing it. Considering what happened to Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, and Ron Paul, this is a brilliant strategy on her part.
I think the commentariat’s opinion of Sarah is in a state of transition, as they start to look at her record & positions more closely.
This article from the NYT is an example:
“Some of Sarah Palin’s Ideas Cross the Political Divide”
By ANAND GIRIDHARADAS
Cambridge, Mass
“Let us begin by confessing that, if Sarah Palin surfaced to say something intelligent and wise and fresh about the present American condition, many of us would fail to hear it”

We are focused more locally at the moment, on a race that has been pretty much ignored.
The race in NY-9, for Anthony Weiner’s firmer House seat.

All Democrat eyes (and money) are on NY-9, in a special election this Tuesday
The challenger, Republican Turner has made it a referendum on Obama and a rejection of his treatment of Israel and Middle East policy. Yes, it’s somewhat about Israel, but there are other factors at play.
One factor is that Weprin voted for same sex marriage in NY, not a popular position in this district. Another is that Weprin doesn’t even live in the district, and won’t commit to moving to the district if he wins. He can’t even vote for himself!
Weprin has run a terrible campaign.
This looks like a GOP blowout in the making. When the Dem candidate looks at the polls that have him losing by 6 to the GOP, and says “the only poll that counts is the one on election day” you know he is in serious trouble.
This will be a major setback for Obama and a psychological victory for the GOP. It’s a signal to disaffected Dems that if they stick with Obama, they’re going to lose, if they distance from him, they might win.
A lot of the credit goes to former Mayor Ed Koch for having the courage to go public, call out Obama, and lead the way.
In phone calling to registered Dems in NY-9 on Saturday, 50% who picked up said they were voting for Turner.
No one ever thought this could happen in blue, blue, NYC.

NY-9 The Referendum on Obama
Just as I predicted above, Republican Bob Turner has won a blowout victory in a Congressional district in NY that hasn’t sent a Republical to Congress since 1922. Obama won this district by 11 points in 2008.
One less Democrat in the House tomorrow, one more voice for the American people.